In Ten
by Gater101
Summary: Ten drabbles. Because life happens in moments. Spoilers for all seasons.
1. Falling Out of Love

Challenge:

1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.  
2. Turn your music player on and turn it on random/shuffle.  
3. Write a drabblet/ ficlet related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterwards!  
4. Do ten of these, then post them.

The fandom is Stargate Atlantis. Here we go

_Falling Out of Love_

On the day of her wedding, Pamela stood in the Church, waiting to catch a glimpse of the woman her fiancé had loved. When he'd told her that he'd invited another guest – _someone from out of town – _she had wanted to be happy, glad that he had friends other than Rodney and Evan and Ronon. But when he'd seen the woman, seen the child in her arms, seen the way that John had been the first to rise, first to take the bundle from her arms and just _be there... _She just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she'd been missing.

Then Rodney had told her who the woman was and what she had meant to John and how he'd gone out of town to see her, she'd felt her stomach drop from her body.

But he was marrying her; he had chosen to be with her.

But knowing that he'd snuck off to see this woman, four days before their wedding unsettled her greatly.

It was then that she realised that he'd been falling out of love with her; that she'd never really had his heart. Not as much of it as she had wanted; not as much as he told her he had given her.

It hurt.


	2. Breakable

_Breakable_

He was groggy when Teyla arrived in his dark room, the only light whatever was left of the fading daylight as it fought its way through the blinds. She sat on the edge of his bed and let her hand drop to his forehead. The skin was clammy and sweaty and she withdrew it slowly when his hazel eyes blinked up at her.

She let her fingers tickle the hair at his temple before she withdrew her hand.

"What has Rodney been demanding of you now?" He closed his eyes and grimaced, turning away from her slightly. She reached out and gently took his chin in her hand and turned his head back to her. "You must tell him that you cannot keep doing this."

"He needs me."

"There are plenty of other people who have the gene."

He huffed.

"Not as strongly as me, apparently."

Teyla frowned.

"I will have a word with him," she said quietly.

"No, you won't."

"John..."

"No... just stay a while."

She watched as he faded away into slumber and nodded, sliding along beside him on the bed.

Rodney did not realise how fragile John really was.


	3. Breathing

_Breathing_

The infirmary waiting was desolate, the only person occupying it the sleeping form of Kanaan as he lay crinkled up in a chair. John felt something tighten in his gut and he looked away at the sight of Teyla's lover, of Michael's ex-accomplice. He hadn't come here to fight with Kanaan and he was glad that he was asleep.

He slipped through the main doors to the infirmary and spotted Carson perched on a pedestal at the end of Teyla's bed, reading over a chart with a pen in his hand. As he approached, Carson looked up, weary and tired, and nodded in Sheppard's direction.

"How's she doing, doc?"

Carson shrugged and looked back to the chart.

"According to her chart, she's fine. She hasn't woken up apart from to ask for you."

John nodded but ignored the knowing tone of Carson's voice. He'd been stuck between waking and rest when he'd gotten the radio call that Teyla had asked for him, had demanded to know that he was okay.

He hadn't hesitated in coming to her room. Even if it was just to sit and listen to her breathing; she'd asked for _him, _not Kanaan. And he'd be there for her.

He didn't know if it meant anything, but it meant something. Even if only to him.

As Carson left, John sat and listened quietly to her breathing, his hand finding hers.

Where he wanted to be.


	4. Hands Open

_Hands Open._

He huffed and she held her ground. He hated when she was right; when he was right and their wires crossed and got nowhere.

And when he couldn't keep his mouth shut long enough to keep himself out of trouble.

She spun on her heel and walked away, greeting passing personnel as though she hadn't just wanted to cut his balls off and feed them to the poisonous snakes on the mainland.

He hoped to God he'd done the right thing. He couln't remember the last time she'd smiled at him; when they hadn't been mad at one another. It had been a year. At least. And he hated it. He missed her. Missed their quiets nights of movie watching and music listening, of teaching her to play the guitar.

But she was making sense. But so was he. He just hoped that... one of them would give in – her, preferably. But he knew that he might give in first and then where would that get them?

Nowhere. And quickly.

What he wanted she couldn't give. And he hated that. And she did too.

But it was the way it was.

And it sucked.


	5. Somewhere In Between

_Somewhere in between_

When Rodney had come to see him, Carson had ushered him out. When Sheppard had stopped by, Carson hadn't answered the door. When Ronon had banged on the door for ten minutes, Carson had buried his head in his pillows and wished the Satedan away. When Teyla had arrived, Torren cradled in her arms, he'd gently apologised and she'd understood.

This couldn't be happening.

As he tried to calm his breathing, tried to connect to the city in the way he used to do when he couldn't sleep, he felt her blocking him out – a stranger, an enigma – not the real Carson Beckett. Just something in between.

It had to be a dream.

Tears, silent and traitorous, leaked from his eyes and he swiped them away, his breath hitching in his throat.

Before, he hadn't really had time to think about it. He'd been dying; didn't think he'd really have to deal with it. But he'd survived, and he did. And it hurt. It hurt knowing that they hadn't been looking for him, that they'd been happily living their lives while he'd been held by Michael.

But it wasn't their fault and he knew it. It just didn't help much.

Not really; not when he'd been stuck somewhere in between hell and something worse for two years. _Two years. _

More tears leaked, more anger grew, more pain.

He wasn't the real one. They weren't even really his.


	6. Kentucky Rain

_Kentucky Rain_

John missed the days when the cold rain hadn't bothered him. He missed the days when it didn't remind him of the first time he and Teyla had sat out on a secluded balcony, enjoying the power of nature.

But here, in the Kentucky rain, he couldn't find solace in the cold drops of rain that splattered onto his head, as he watched the lightning strike the ground in the far off fields. As he thought back to the morning he'd woken and she'd been gone; that she'd never actually been there.

He'd felt sick, and he may have gagged.

Above him, the doctors smiled; Nancy hugged him and he wondered what the hell was going on. The helicopter – the failed mission – everything that came after it. It wasn't real. None of it. Teyla, Ronon, Rodney...

Gone, in a heartbeat – in the blink of an eye as he'd woken from a three year coma.

The rain ceased to mesmerise him long ago.


	7. Last Train Home

_Last Train Home_

"You haven't changed."

Nancy looked up at the sound of his voice and smiled. She stood and greeted him with open arms, which he slid into easily, relishing in the feel of familiarity. It hadn't been too long since he'd seen her at his father's funeral but it had felt like far too long.

"I can't believe Dave is getting married."

John shrugged and smiled, looking away from her to his brother who was shaking hands with some well to do folks and he cocked his head.

"I'm surprised he's not getting married to _you_."

"John..." Nancy chastised and John smiled, albeit forced. "That's not fair."

"Maybe not..." He looked away, searching for familiar figures. "But true."

"Have you seen the food platter?"

John closed his eyes and shook his head. He turned to Nancy. "Nancy, Rodney McKay."

"Nancy? As in Sheppard's ex-wife?"

Nancy looked surprised.

"He's mentioned me?"

Rodney shook his head as he wiped his hand on his jacket.

"No, but Ronon did."

Nancy made an 'ah' face and John grimaced.

As Rodney moved off, John turned to her and apologised.

"It's okay," she murmured. "Where's Teyla?"

John turned to her, startled and felt colour reach his cheeks.

"Uh..."

Nancy simply smiled and walked away.


	8. Safe In Your Arms

_Safe in Your Arms_

As she swayed, she felt his strong arms come around her and she smiled dozily up at him. She'd had far too much of the locally brewed wine and she knew that she would not be in the best of spirits in the morning.

But when his arms were around her like they were now, she felt like she was on top of the world.

"A little too much to drink, Teyla?"

She giggled and leaned back into him a little, letting him take most of her weight as her knees buckled beneath her.

"Don't you think the... the wine was very good, Colonel?"

She could feel his chuckle vibrate against her back and she tried to ignore the shower of tingles that spread up her body as his fingers gripped her hip.

"It was, yeah." She took a step from him and her knees buckled again and she giggled. "I got you," he said quietly as he slipped his arm around her waist.

"You got my six?" She asked, the words beginning to slur as fatigue gripped her. She could make out his smile in the dimness, the down turned eyes and she marvelled at his eyelashes. "You have long eyelashes, John," she said as she reached out with her finger to touch them. She felt gelatinous mush beneath her fingers and heard his yelp of protest. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

"I got your six," she murmured through her giggles and despite his huff of protest, his arm around her waist tightened and he didn't let her fall.


	9. I Will Show You Love

_I Will Show You Love_

He took her hand in his, relishing in the feel of the soft skin as it brushed against his rougher, coarser palm. She smiled up at him, her cheeks tinging red slightly as he spun her into his arms. The others in the room were dancing to a cheery beat, almost grinding against one another but as he took her into his arms, the beat seemed to change, their stance formal and elegant. He'd learned to dance when he was younger, his mother demanding it of both he and Dave but he'd never really practiced it.

And when the Tilians encouraged – _demanded – _that Sheppard and Teyla take to the dance floor (much to the amusement of Ronon and Rodney), he'd had pretty much no choice but to refresh his skills and do as bid.

The future of trade negotiations depended on it.

So he told himself.

"This is a strange form of dancing."

John looked down at her and quirked and eyebrow, a half smile.

"Yeah well, it's pretty formal. Don't think they'd appreciate a rendition of Dirty Dancing." Teyla frowned but he shook his head. "This kind of reminds me of my wedding song."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She smiled, and leaned closer to him and he wasn't sure what to make of that.


	10. Take Back The City

_Take back the city._

It was simple.

It was not easy.

Michael's grip had strengthened on the control room when he'd taken Ronon out; the others were neither capable nor willing to help. The ones who could and were couldn't get there to do anything.

John would rather see Atlantis on the bottom of the ocean than in Michael's hands.

And Teyla; he'd rather she not be involved at all – especially not with Torren. If he'd just taken Torren from her and taken her to the pier like he'd been too scared to do she'd be with him, she'd be safe, Torren would be safe and they'd kick butt together to get rid of Michael.

But she wasn't and there was nothing he could do, except hope that she didn't give herself up to Michael or his hybrids.

Each time the city was in danger, they always won, always took control.

He hoped she remembered that.

He closed his eyes; if they got out of this, he was going to have words with her. Words he should have said months before but couldn't. He didn't care anymore. His fingers brushed over the familiar cracks in the wall and he felt the city thrum with anticipation beneath his fingers.

Atlantis was in his side; she wouldn't give them up. Wouldn't give any of them up. She just needed to be released from Michael's grip and they'd all get on fine.

They had to figure out how to get her back; then they'd get the others out.

As the City powered up and the doors trapped the hybrids in, John fell in love with the city all over again.


End file.
